Farethewell with Roses and Grape Juice
by P.M. Zontini
Summary: Mrs. Myka Bering-Wells spends an impromptu Valentines Day Date with the second charming, dapper Helena Wells that's managed to capture her heart over the years. Recent Update: Includes other various tales of Warehouse Valentines Day Hi-Jinks. Some harsh language in later chapters. Cute fluffiness in all chapters.
1. Moments with a Loved One

**Authors Note: **Intended to be part of a much much bigger but unwritten 'verse, this story is going to be a little off as it takes place nearly at the end of said 'verse, I promise not to spoil too much though, I just thought this would be fitting with what day it is today. If it gathers a lot of positive response/confusion, I will highly consider writing more, and starting from the beginning as well. I also warn of grammar/spelling errors, it hasn't been betaed. Also please keep in mind that this is just a tester, seeing if the story flows well, it's been a while since I last wrote something out in full.

**Farethewell with Roses and Grape Juice.**

Written by P.M. Zontini.

* * *

"It's been over seven years now Abigail, I'm not sure what else we can do to cheer her up." Pacing back and forth across his bedroom, Steven James Jinks Jr. takes a precarious look at his beloved wife, a frown on her face and a look of sadness in her eyes as she peers out their door at her Mother casually sitting in front of the television, doing a puzzle all on her own.

With a sigh she nods in agreement. "I know, darling, but I can't help but feel horrid every time we go out to dinner alone, especially around now." Taking another careful look into the living room, she turns back to her husband with desperation. "I mean, it was Mum's favourite holiday..." The woman sighs as she practically flops down on her bed, burying her head into her knees, an old habit still not broken over forty-seven years of living. " S.J., I don't remember a Valentines day-"

She can't finish the sentence.

"That your Mum didn't do something extravagant for your Mom... I remember, Abby." Sitting beside his wife, Steven wraps an arm around his wife of nearly thirty years and gives her a tight hug, pulling her into his chest so that she can rest her head against him. "I wish I knew what to do to help her, dear, I really do." Letting out his own sigh, he raked his fingers through his already graying hair and racked his brain for anything. They really should have prepared more, he had planned what he and Abigail were going to do over the course of a month, never had a second thought to what Myka would do now that she wasn't needed for babysitting. He felt stupid for overlooking that now.

"We could always cancel dinner? Maybe make something for the three of us here, and watch a movie? Or maybe Tara would consider staying home to keep her company..." Abigail shook her head at all three suggestions, her frown only deepening as he rambled off suggestions. She had to give him something for the effort, he'd do anything to keep her happy, but she knew he had been planning for a long time. "Maybe we could ask your sisters?"

At another firm shake of her head, Abigail sighed once more. "No. Tara's been planning this date with Daniel since before Christmas... Also, Amelia's back in New York, we can't ask her to fly down, and Ari... Well, you know Ari, she gets all moody around this time too, I think Mum's death might have affected her the worst out of all of us... If Caylah manages to convince her to go out though, maybe Mom could watch their kids?"

"We could always call and ask?" Less than a split second later, a loud familiar ringing from out in the hall caused the not-so young couple to jump up slightly.

With a small smirk and a flourish of her hand as she got up from the bed, Abigail looked back at her husband. "Somehow I think we might have been beaten to it."

* * *

Myka got to the phone first, her age not getting in the way of the specialized ring that signalled the call was coming from the Bed and Breakfast's phone, it had been one of the only things Claudia had worked on after H.G. passed, wanting Myka to have a way to know that the call was coming from Leena's, from the family she had left in the B&B.

"Hello?"

"Hi Grandma!" A girlish squeal pipes up from the other end of the line. "How are you?"

Smile overcoming her face at the sound of her youngest granddaughters voice, Myka can't help but enthusiastically reply back. "I'm lovely Lenie, how about you?"

Just as charming and irresistible as the woman she was named after, Helena manages to get a little laugh out of her grandmother at the very pensive pause in her voice before exclaiming. "I'm good! I had a question though, Gramma?"

"Yes, my princess?"

The girl takes another little pensive pause, and if you didn't know the seven year old better, you would assume she had forgotten what she was going to ask. To the well-educated individual on 'Leniesms' it's obvious just how much deep thought the child has inherited from her Mother, and how her struggles on making something sound proper takes her a little extra time to figure out how to go about things. "I was wonderin' about if you had plans on Valentines day?"

It's not a surprising question, being one of the oldest grandparents of the children, Myka has taken over the ranks as head babysitter, especially now that her Helena is gone and she has more attention to give her grandchildren than they could have ever imagined.

"No sweetie, why, do your Mommies need me to watch you and your brother for the night?"

Lenie giggles out a negative to the question and begins to playfully chastise her Grandmother. "No, Grandma. Eddie's staying atta friends house for Valentines day." Like the seventy-seven year old woman would have known that before hand. "Momma and Mummy aren't going out for Valentine's either because Mummy doesn't feel good. But I wanted to take you out to dinner, Gramma!"

Myka tries not to sputter in confusion as her daughter and son-in-law listening in on the other end try not to coo with the sweet nature of their youngest neice, the two being nearly in their fifties but still very much teenagers in behaviour. "Pardon me, sweetie?"

"Well..." The child starts, her voice getting a tad of a wavering tone to it, like she's nervous or even shy to say what she had planned next. "I thought that because Nonna has been gone for a long time... and she used to take you out, that you might be kind of lonely... And, I'm old enough now Grandma, plus I was given her name. So I should take you out for dinner instead to make up for her not being able too."

Tears prick Myka's eyes as she nods her head slowly, the grip she has on the telephone tightening just slightly as she replies with a trembling voice.

"I would love that Helena."

"Yay! It sounds like a deal then Gramma!" The little girls joy is practically palpable as she starts talking a mile a minute at what they could do together.

Watching a movie after dinner. Having icecream for desert. A walk in the park after. All of it goes in through one ear with Myka and out the next as the only thing she's able to concentrate on is the fierce similarities between her big Helena and her little Helena, both of them eager to please.

"It all sounds like it'll be wonderful sweetie."

"I promise it will be Gramma, I'll make it the bestest Valentines day in the world for you!" A muffled voice tells the child something on the other end and Lenie practically beams a smile over the phone. "I gotta go now Grandma, Mummy's taking me out fancy clothes shopping!"

"Ooooh, sounds like fun."

"It is! I'll see you on Sunday Grandma, four-thirty sharp okay? And wear something pretty so that together we can look aces! Love you, Gramma!"

Myka can hardly contain a snort as she says her goodbyes, the cheerful impatient little girl hanging up before she can return them.

"Oh Helena... You would have gotten a kick out of her." Is the older womans only response to her granddaughters hasty departure as she returns to her puzzle, wanting to complete the heart-themed picture before the holiday starts up.

* * *

"How do I look?" Helena spins around in front of her Aunt and Uncle, the specially-made white and red tails on her coat fluttering around her like wings as she shows off her very extra special Valentines day suit, every other little girl her age donned in some sort of extravagant party dress on this day, whereas the young Helena has been infatuated with vests and tailcoats since the moment she caught glimpse of a picture with her Nonna in the same sort of outfit over fifty years ago.

"Fantastic!" Abigail claps for the youngest and most likely last of the Bering-Wells grandchildren, one of her secret favourites of the lot, coming second to only her own children.

"Stunning!" S.J. echoes as his own suit, even by his own admission, cannot hold a candle to the one his niece wears.

"Beautiful." Myka whispers as she descends the stairs from her room towards her date for the evening, her dress simplistic and casual, but absolutely fitting with Helena's Valentines day ensemble. Her arms tucked around a small parcel wrapped carefully in red tissue paper.

"No, you look beautiful Grandma." Helena compliments without a second thought to her, her own arms curled around something as well, but rather than a package, she holds a fine red rose that she extends out to her Grandmother once she's finished walking down the stairs. "I brought you this."

There's a flicker of sadness before Myka takes the rose, a flicker of remembering, but it's lost as she hands back her red parcel. "And I have this for you, wait until you get home to open it though, your Mummy will help explain what it is." She smiles as the girl dutifully nods her head, handing the package to her Uncle who carefully sets it aside for her until she's ready to go back home.

"Shall we, Grandma?" Helena asks rather grown up as she holds out an arm to Myka, her Grandmother latching tightly to her stick thin arm as the two of them escape the house and take off for the car, where a waiting Caylah is ready to drive them to the reservations that Lenie made all on her own at one of the fanciest restaurants (fanciest that would allow children at least) in town.

* * *

Michaelo's, a family run Italian restaurant far on the outskirts of Univille, are more than happy to serve the Grandmother and Granddaughter duo for Valentine's day and it isn't long into their meal before they realize that they're being treated like royalty. Which, with the severe lack of customers in the establishment, isn't much of a surprise.

However, the grape juice poured into crystal wine glasses and red glittering candles on their table are pleasant enough of a 'surprise' that it only adds to their royal treatment and it isn't long before the two girls are noticing the hours slipping away into night-time.

That's when the questions start coming.

"Gramma... Tell me about Nonna?" The request was so small and out of the blue that Myka paused mid bite to stare.

"W-what do you want to know, princess?" As hard as she tried to get the waver out of her voice that occurred whenever someone would mention H.G., she couldn't even for her Granddaughters sake. The subject was too difficult for her to get through. She missed Helena every moment of every day since she had passed, and nothing, not even her children and grandchildren, as lovely as they were could help.

"Would she have liked me?" And that cat was out of the bag, Myka had always wondered how long it would take for Helena to question about the woman she got her name from, the two were so alike that she knew her young Helena struggled just as much as her older Helena did with feeling adequate with pleasing people.

Not to mention, Lenie was the only of the grandchildren that hadn't met H.G. and witnessed her love in person, even Lenie's brother Edward, older by only two and a half years had gotten some time with his Nonna. Not a lot, but some time. Lenie had missed out on it, irony rearing it's ugly head that it should happen to be the only child named after Helena wouldn't get a chance to meet her.

Realizing she had been caught up in thought too long, Myka burst out with an exclaim. "Ofcourse she would have!" Reassuring the young child of her fears.

"Come here, princess." Myka pulled away from the table, leaning down to pull Helena into her lap, the forty pound child a little too heavy for Myka's legs, but never too heavy for her heart. "She would have thought you were just the most spectacular child in the world... She and you adore most of the same things."

Lenie nodded her head, she had been told this before. "Our love of antique clothing. A flair for telling stories and..."

"A knack for keeping lists organized." Myka teased as she tickled her youngest girl, the baby of her grandbabies, and held her close to her chest. Feeling her heartbeat keep in time along with Myka's own. "She would have spoiled you darn near rotten." Helena giggled softly at the bizarre thought running through her head of something literally being spoiled rotten, given so many gifts it decayed.

"Don't tell your Aunts, but your Nonna had a special place in her heart for your Mummy. Her brain just fascinated Nonna so much that she wanted to pick it for hours, trying to learn everything your Mum knew..." Myka drew lines along her granddaughters arms with her finger slowly, the child unintentionally being lulled into sleep slowly and surely.

"You and your Mom have the same sort of brain. I just know that she would have loved that about you."

"G-gramma?" A tired little voice lured Myka out of her buried memories, the older woman glancing down at the child in her arms.

"Yes, my love?"

"I'm... glad you're here... I love you." The little girl whispered as she closed her eyes and buried her head into her Grandmother's chest.

"I love you too Helena. Happy Valentine's Day."


	2. Valentines Day is for Everyone

**Authors Note: **I wasn't aiming to continue on the Valentine's day fics, but with all the fantastic response (and you all know who you are: MiDushi, Scarlet, Strong, Etain, JK2 and Crown.) I figured it might give me a relatively easy way to vaguely introduce the youngsters before I get to the intentionally longer fanfictions. So, I bring you another particular Valentine's day in the Warehouse family. This one, quite a bit earlier. I hope that you all enjoy your first real looks at the children, and not their fifty year old counterparts. Also feel free to guess who's kid everyone is. :P Atleast, the not obvious ones. I also apologize for the huge wait, I'm working on an original set of stories.

* * *

"You take that back, you take that back right now!"

Another crash followed the violent screams of two feuding teenage girls as the man and girl sat in the other room cringing and flinching every time they heard something break or smash.

"S.J... How long do you think they'll be fighting?" The terrified eight year old asked from her blanket swaddled position on the couch as another 'priceless' antique vase flew by the open doorway and subsequently broke into dozens of pieces once it hit the floor out of sight.

"I'm not sure, Ames." Was the only reply. "They've been going at eachother's throats for days."

Even at just fifteen, the one and only son of the warehouse family topped out at nearly the tallest, losing just by a fair two and a half inches to Pete. For someone not at all athletically inclined, he had the strength of someone twice his lanky thin size and enough power to stop a linebacker.

But no football position held a candle to two angry Valentines Day-crazed women.

That is why the young man held back. Even in charge of the house while the adults were gone, S.J. knew his limitations and protecting the kid from violence was his top priority, even if his priorities caught him sitting on the sofa, eating popcorn watching the fight between cousins like it was a tennis match.

"All I said was that I'm sure he'd have a real woman as a date, rather than..." S.J. drained of color, immediately internally begging Grace not to say it.

"Rather. Than. What."

"I'm sure he'd want to have a real woman as a date... rather than a child."

And she said it.

Sharing a glance with Amelia, the younger of the two ducked underneath her blankets just in time as S.J. turned to see his two makeshift cousins enter the room, both looking like they had murder on the brain. "Uh... hi... Ladies?" He whispered, setting the popcorn away as they both opened their mouths to speak and the only thing that came out was barely understandable yells and shouts.

"PLEASETELLHERTHATYOULOVEME!" Screamed one.

"ANDTELLTHATBITCHTHATSHESWRONG!" Screamed the other.

"Ladies, please, calm yourselves down..." He finally managed to get out. "Amy's in the room, and you're freaking her out."

Amy popped her head out of her blanket fort just long enough to stare between her older sister and their sorta-kinda cousin, nod ferociously at what S.J. had said and then duck back down into safety. She had put up with Abby and Grace's fights before, a lot more than Steven had, and knew they could get scary fast.

"S.J., you're a fifteen year old guy, I'm a sixteen year old girl... Us dating would be perfe-"

"He has been my bestfriend for the past seven and a half freaking years." Abigail interrupted angrily.

"He needs a girlfriend not a bestfriend!" Grace stuck her tongue out at the younger girl with a huff.

Noting the look on Abby's face was reaching levels of 'ready to kick Grace's butt' S.J. thinking quickly threw his hands up in a surrender.

"Okay! Okay! I will pick which one of you ladies I'd like to spend Valentines with, just not until it's closer to Valentines day... Give me time to think, okay?"

With a nod from both girls, albeit a tightlipped displeased one, and the sound of the front door opening, S.J. took to grabbing Amelia and making their leave before things could get heated up again. Just in time too, as by the time he reached his room with the eight year old, there was a scream that came from downstairs.

"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO MY VASE FROM PERU?!"

* * *

Three and a half days later, Valentines day was on the cusp of being there and almost everyone he knew had plans for what they were going to do. S.J. knew that he was going to have to make up his mind soon, or risk another all-out war of girls, and judging by how the last one had gone... (Almost everyone getting grounded for what happened to the vase.) He really didn't want there to be another blow-out.

But there was just something difficult about making THAT kind of decision, he legitimately did not know who to choose.

On one hand was Grace, practically an outsider to the house despite having known everyone since she was two, she was only there every few weekends and very barely spent holidays with them. She was pretty, he had to admit, and he did want to be nice to her since she never really got to spend any time with any of them, but at the same time, she was bossy and demanding and overall... she wasn't Abby.

Abigail had been his bestfriend for as long as he could remember living in the warehouse. The two of them had always been practically inseparable, and even now, as S.J. was in highschool and Abigail still in middle school, with the threat of dating other people looming overtop of them, they still were each others special person. He didn't want to ruin that between them.

S.J. was very lost.

So, unlike most teenage boys his age, S.J. knew the only person who could give him a purely unbiased opinion was the right place to turn too.

His Aunt H.G.

"... So, darling, I've heard that you're in a bit of a jam. You can either take my beautiful, sweet, young daughter out for Valentines Day, or, her equally as beautiful and more your age, cousin out." Helena spoke up the moment S.J. entered the living room, her eyes never leaving the paper infront of her, causing the young man to scratch his head in confusion of how she always did that.

A pointed eyebrow raise in his general direction got S.J. back into reality as he nodded his head and fumbled. "Uh... Yeah... Howdidyouknowthat?"

"Sweetheart, I've been a mother for a great many years. All of my girls have always been able to come to me for boy-related issues." She answered simply thumbing through the pages. "Not to mention that our two lovely teenage ladies have been screaming at eachother for a month over this... Word travels."

"Right."

"So you've come to me, obviously for advice on whom to ask." Helena paused as S.J. opened his mouth again, ready to spring with another question, but her glance caused him to shut it and listen. "Honestly, Steven darling. Those girls are always going to fight over you... There's only three gentlemen in the Warehouse. And two of them are quite old... and related to them in the Fatherly/Grandfatherly/Uncle ways."

Nodding, Steven looked up with a worry in his eyes.

"I just... don't want anyone's feelings to get hurt."

"Someones already has... So you need to pick who you think needs it most, now shoo, I'm reading the paper."

* * *

Steven was still scratching his head in confusion from what his Aunt had said as he ascended the stairs to his bedroom, he needed to come to a decision quickly and he was no more closer to an answer than he had been before being counselled. Infact, he might have even been worse off.

About to push on the door to go into his room, he heard a small sniffle from across the hall and his heart dropped.

"Oh hell, what other problems do I need right now?"

He grumbled as he performed his 'older brother/cousin' routine and went to the aid of whomever was upset, a heartbreaking realization as it came from the smallest of the children, the one often cast aside for the teenage problems of the older three.

"Amy...?" He called worriedly as he entered the room to find the girl sitting in her bed, her face red and streaked with tears.

"Go away!" The girl yelled pitifully, her teddybear drowning out most of the sound coming out of her.

"What's wrong kiddo? Why do you look so sad, Amy-bear?" S.J. asked, ignoring her shouts as he crossed the room and sat on the edge of her bed.

For a second he thought he might have to fight her for the truth, the smallest Bering-Wells wasn't particularly good at letting people know what was troubling her, she liked her privacy a little too much for people to know everything. Fortunately for S.J. though, tears aside, she seemed to be in a sharing mood, moving from her spot among the pillows to his side in a matter of seconds, curling into him, her tears wetting his shirt.

"Nobody wants to spend time with me!" She hiccuped, clinging to him.

"What're you talking about, Amybear... Ofcourse we want to spend time with you! Everyone does, you're the cutest."

"N-Not Valentines Day! Mommy and M-Mama are going out! So is everyone e-else! And Abby and Grace won't stop fighting over who gets to spend Valentines day with you! It's because nobody wants to spend it with me!" She cried, pressing her tiny body against his chest, her shoulders wracking with sobs.

Oh.

Now he finally knew what his Aunt had been talking about.

* * *

"Have you made a decision or not, S.J.?" Grace spat out, looking annoyed that it had taken this long to reach a conclusion, Valentines Day was officially here and now, if there wasn't someone picked in the next hour or so, everyone would completely miss out on the holiday.

"Give him his time, Grace! He's just figuring out a way to let you down." Abby smirked, the scowl on Grace's face feeding the mutual jealousy between cousins.

S.J. stood in the middle of the living room, both girls were seated on opposite ends of the couch and Amy was curled up in her Mama's favourite chair, just wanting the decision to be over with so that there wouldn't be any more screaming, and maybe if she was lucky, she'd end up with her sister at home spending time with her. They could watch movies.

"Actually, I have made a decision. There are reservations for two to Fabrizio's Italian Bistro, followed by tickets to the Valentine's Ballet put on by the local dance school, and then a chocolate making class at Anna's Bakery." S.J. smiled, knowing that his date would be very pleased with his plans.

"He must be taking me, I love the ballet!" Grace exclaimed with a bit of a snub to Abby's general direction.

Muttering under her breathe, Abby glared. "Now what makes you think he would take a tramp to a fancy bistro?"

"Shut your mouth you little brat."

"Only if you shut your legs."

"ENOUGH!" S.J. yelled, the frown on his face deepening into worry lines under his eyes as he let out a sigh and got back on point. "My date for this evening is for the girl who appreciates just spending time together, and doesn't get jealous so easily." Spinning on his heel to face Amy on the chair, he bent down on his knee and smiled at her, pulling the roses from inside his jacket out and holding them to her carefully.

"Amy... Want to spend Valentines Day with me?"

Nothing could have prepared the teen for the chorus of screams that followed, one from Amy who jumped up from her seat and tackled him into a hug, and two matching ones from Abigail and Gracelynn as they voiced their displeasure.

"You have got to be kidding me!"

"No way, she's just a ragamuffin! She's younger than ole cry-baby over there!"

* * *

Hours later, after Amelia and Steven had gone out for their Valentines Date, Abigail and Grace finally broke out of their shock.

"This is ridiculous, I could have any guy at my school and I'm stuck with you."

"You think I'm happy being stuck with you?"

"Why don't you go upstairs and cry to your diary about how your kid sister stole your true love?"

"Isn't it sadder that your feminine wiles lost out... to an eight year old? That'd be a laugh for 'any guy at your school', wouldn't it?"

"Stuff it, Mama's Girl. We will never speak of this day again or I'll beat your face in."

"Happy Valentines Day, Grace. Maybe next year you can lose to a toddler?"

"Shut up!"


End file.
